The
Hagersville Bantam Reps started the second half of their season on a high as
all their players were back on the ice.
On January 4th the Hawks played host to the Langton Leafs for
their first Southern Counties game.
It was Langton that came out of the gates swinging, when they scored first, just over 3 minutes into the game. The Hawks played it cool and were rewarded for their patience, with one of their own from Tucker Awalt, before the period ended. Cole Campbell assisted on Awalt’s goal. Braden Bond gave his team the lead in the second, with a great play, assisted by Winn Cooper. Langton had several opportunities to try and even the board but Jordan Laforme shut them down every time. It was Awalt that sealed the deal for the Hawks when he scored once again in the third, assisted by Logan Ashworth. Final score 3-1 Hawks!
On January 6th the Hawks traveled to Burford for their first OMHA game as well as a Southern Counties game. It was the opposing team once again that scored first, but the Hawks answered back early in the second, when Jade Bacher was waiting back at the blue line for the pass and let one fly that found the back of the net. Burford took the momentary lead once again, but not for long, as Cole Campbell landed one of his amazing shots, evening the board, assisted by Bacher. Brody Smith gave his team the lead moments later, on a backhand, through the five hole, assisted by Campbell and Winn Cooper. Burford wasn’t going down without a fight when they landed another before the end of the second.
Halfway through the third, Campbell kept the puck in Burford’s end, getting it up to Logan Ashworth for the go ahead goal. With 3 minutes left in the game, Ashworth found the puck once again on the end of his stick, landing one more for the Hawks, before the buzzer sounded. The Hawks left Burford with 2 points for Southern Counties and 2 points for their OMHA game. Great game Hawks. Final score 5-3.
The Hawks found themselves in Ayr on January 8th for another Southern Counties game. Ayr took the lead by two in the second, but in the third, Brett Russell found himself behind Ayr’s net with the puck on his stick and line-mate Logan Ashworth out front waiting for the pass. Ashworth wasted no time landing the shot and putting the Hawk’s on the board. Ayr answered back giving them a two goal lead.
Ashworth landed another, before the period ended, when Russell fed one to him for the breakaway. It was a good attempt, but unfortunately the Hawks took their first loss of the second part of the season trailing by one. Final score 3-2.
On January 10th Burford traveled to Hagersville for the second OMHA game. In the first, the Hawks looked like they’d come out to play. They had several rushes into Burford’s end but couldn’t find the net. It was Braden Bond that scored the first, a beauty, when he intercepted a pass the Burford goalie sent out front while he was clearing the net. Jordan Laforme was terrific in net, making some phenomenal glove saves and the score remained 1-0 until late in the third, when Burford found the net twice to take the lead. On a face off in Burford’s end, Ashworth drew the puck back to Campbell, who let one go, to even the game once more. It looked like this game was heading to overtime until Burford landed one more, with little time left and no room for the Hawks to answer back. It was a great game, tying the series at one game a piece, until Wednesday when the Hawks travel back to Burford’s rink.